The Monarchy Today > The Royal Household > The Royal Philatelic Collection

Die proof for the penny black stamp from 1840

Penny black die proof from 1840. Penny blacks were later replaced with penny red stamps
© Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II

View items from the Royal Philatelic Collection in a special stamp gallery

BRITISH STAMPS

The Royal Philatelic Collection may well be the world's finest and most comprehensive collection of postage stamps of Great Britain.

The collection is particularly strong in stamps from the very beginnings of the modern British postal system in the period 1839-41.

In the 1830s postal reformers, led by Rowland Hill, were recommending a postal system using prepaid envelopes and letter sheets, and a system of charging based on weight instead of distance.

The main methods of prepaying the costs were to be imprinted postal stationery and adhesive postage stamps.

To find designs for the proposed postage stamps and stamped stationery, the Treasury announced a competition, with a prize of £200 to be awarded to the best design.

Some of these fascinating competition entries, known as Treasury Essays, survive in the Royal Philatelic Collection, having been bought by George V.

The first postage stamps were issued for sale on 1 May 1840, although they were not valid for use until 6 May. The Royal Philatelic Collection contains many examples of these first stamps, including 1d stamps printed in black ink (penny blacks) and 2d stamps printed in blue (two pence blues).

Among the best examples from this period is the 'Kirkcudbright Cover', a first day cover of Great Britain of 6 May 1840, bearing ten penny blacks. This is the largest multiple known on a first day cover, and was acquired by The Queen in 2001.

Pre-paid stationery, another of the postal reforms of 1840, also features in the Royal Philatelic Collection. This is known as Mulready stationery, after the man who designed the pre-paid envelopes and letter sheets.

Later treasures in the Collection include the rare Edward VII 2d 'Tyrian Plum' stamp. In 1910 a new 2d stamp was prepared for issue, and 100,000 sheets of 240 stamps each were produced by the printers.


	Penny black die proof from 1840. Penny blacks were later replaced with penny red stamps © Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II View items from the Royal Philatelic Collection in a special stamp gallery BRITISH STAMPS The Royal Philatelic Collection may well be the world's finest and most comprehensive collection of postage stamps of Great Britain. The collection is particularly strong in stamps from the very beginnings of the modern British postal system in the period 1839-41. In the 1830s postal reformers, led by Rowland Hill, were recommending a postal system using prepaid envelopes and letter sheets, and a system of charging based on weight instead of distance. The main methods of prepaying the costs were to be imprinted postal stationery and adhesive postage stamps. To find designs for the proposed postage stamps and stamped stationery, the Treasury announced a competition, with a prize of £200 to be awarded to the best design. Some of these fascinating competition entries, known as Treasury Essays, survive in the Royal Philatelic Collection, having been bought by George V. The first postage stamps were issued for sale on 1 May 1840, although they were not valid for use until 6 May. The Royal Philatelic Collection contains many examples of these first stamps, including 1d stamps printed in black ink (penny blacks) and 2d stamps printed in blue (two pence blues). Among the best examples from this period is the 'Kirkcudbright Cover', a first day cover of Great Britain of 6 May 1840, bearing ten penny blacks. This is the largest multiple known on a first day cover, and was acquired by The Queen in 2001. Pre-paid stationery, another of the postal reforms of 1840, also features in the Royal Philatelic Collection. This is known as Mulready stationery, after the man who designed the pre-paid envelopes and letter sheets. Later treasures in the Collection include the rare Edward VII 2d 'Tyrian Plum' stamp. In 1910 a new 2d stamp was prepared for issue, and 100,000 sheets of 240 stamps each were produced by the printers.
	The first British stamps were issued for sale on 1 May 1840, but were not valid until 6 May. From 1840 to 1918, the basic rate to send a letter was only one penny. Britain is the only country whose postage stamps do not feature the name of the country issuing them. This is because Britain was the first country to produce stamps. It was decided to hold back the new stamps until stocks of the old 2d had been exhausted, and because King Edward VII had fallen ill, in fact dying on 6 May 1910. A few unused examples did escape to the market. One was posted to the Prince of Wales and received by him on the day he became King. This represents the only known used example of the stamp, as the stock which had already been printed, bearing the head of the late Edward VII, was destroyed. More modern highlights include designs for stamps commemorating Queen Elizabeth II's coronation in June 1953. The initial and approved designs for the stamps show the stamps in development as well as in their final issued versions. Two other major additions during The Queen's reign have been a collection of pre-adhesive covers of Great Britain and a collection of pioneer airmail flights envelopes of Canada. The Queen also has a collection of first day covers from the UK and the Commonwealth which date from 1952, the year of her accession to the throne. George V Biography of the stamp-loving king St. James's Palace The home of the Royal Philatelic Collection SUGGESTED LINKS The Royal Philatelic Society London